On Tuesday, Quebec public health announced the coronavirus death toll in the province increased by seven for a total of 5,424.
Five new deaths occurred in the past 24 hours, while two occurred before June 15.
The day before, zero new deaths were reported for the first time since March.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by 49 on Monday, bringing the total to 54,884.
Hospitalizations decreased by five to 515, while 56 people are in intensive care, which is one fewer than Monday.
In the last 24 hours, 7,980 tests have been conducted in Quebec, according to the National Insitute for Public Health.
Montreal, the epicentre of the virus, reported 17 new infections. It has seen 27,074 cases since the pandemic began.
The city is in its first week of malls, gyms and movie theatres reopening with a maximum capacity of 50 people permitted for indoor gatherings. Physical distancing and sanitization measures are also to be applied in all sectors.
Some have made masks mandatory, such as Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
Under the Civil Protection Act, the executive committee renewed the state of emergency from June 23 to 28 for the Greater Montreal area.
The parliamentary budget officer estimates in a new report that it will cost $17.9 billion to deliver the Canada Emergency Response Benefit for an additional eight weeks.
A new survey finds that 66 per cent of Canadians don’t intend to ease two-metre physical-distancing rules requested by health authorities to reduce transmission of the novel coronavirus.
Quebecers, however, are more willing to reduce the two-metre distance to one, according to a survey conducted by Léger firm and the Association for Canadian Studies on the attitude of citizens during a pandemic.
Results show that only 43 per cent of Quebecers want to keep the two-metre distance imposed amid COVID-19, compared to 73 per cent of other Canadians and 66 per cent of Americans.
A consultation with the Léger firm also revealed that Quebecers want to start travelling again but also want to be reassured about the risks associated with the virus.
The survey carried out a month ago and published Tuesday by the CAA-Quebec shows that if they could envision themselves six months after the lifting of government travel warnings, 66 per cent of Quebecers would be enthusiastic to escape for pleasure.
The federal government is announcing a $46-million aid package for the tourism industries of Quebec and Atlantic Canada, which have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economic Development Minister Melanie Joly says $30 million is earmarked for Quebec, with about $13.5 million going towards small- and medium-sized business in the tourism industry.
About $20 million had been allocated in the federal budget while about $10 million is new money previously announced in May.
— With files from The Canadian Press and Global’s Kalina Laframboise